Chamba landslide: Death toll rises to five

New Tehri: The death toll in the landslide in Chamba has risen to five with one more body recovered from the rubble, officials said on Tuesday.

The fifth body was recovered on Monday night and was identified as that of 34-year-old Sohan Singh Rawat, who hailed from Kirgani village, Tehri's District Magistrate Mayur Dikshit said.

A massive landslide occurred near a parking lot in Chamba on Monday, burying five people alive, including a woman and her four-month-old baby.

Search and rescue operations were conducted for around 12 hours, he said. A financial assistance of Rs four lakh each has been given to the next of kin of the deceased, he said.

The official said the Chamba-New Tehri highway continues to be closed due to the accumulation of landslide debris on the road.

An order has been issued to conduct a geological survey of Chamba, he said and added that four families living in sensitive area near the spot of the landslide have been shifted to safe locations.